HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



231 



experiments with certain life-germs showed that when 

 ordinary air was charged with given germs, any 

 nutritive fluid receiving these germs would produce 

 monads, while when the air was kept perfectly pure 

 the same fluid would not produce a single monad. 

 With the air at a temperature of 310° Fahrenheit 

 and charged with germs, the fluid produced no 

 monads. As to the theory of the " survival of the 

 fittest," he stated that he was a perfect convert to it. 

 At a temperature of 45^ the six monads 'with which 

 he had been expermienting were found to live and 

 flourish, and they could bear a sudden increase of 

 temperature up to 60°, without exhibiting any signs 

 of inconvenience; but if, upon reaching this point, 

 the temperature was suddenly increased by five 

 degrees, the monads showed a faintness. The tem- 

 perature might, however, by a slow process, be in- 

 creased to 127°, in which the monads would live, and 

 multiply even more rapidly than in a temperature of 

 45°. The results of similar experiments also seemed 

 to show that it took a much longer time to produce a 

 modification in the ovum than to produce a modifica- 

 tion in the parent. At the conclusion of the lecture 

 Professor Macalister remarked that the questions 

 raised by Mr. Dallinger were of incalculable im- 

 portance. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Zoology of New Guinea. — At the recent 

 meeting of the British Association at Plymouth, Prof. 

 RoUeston, F.R.S., read a paper on the above sub- 

 ject. He commenced by saying that the zoology of 

 New Guinea has had a great deal of research bestowed 

 on it, and will yet have a great deal more, as a con- 

 sequence of the profit which has already resulted. A 

 point which recent zoological discoveries in New 

 Guinea throw light upon, is, that there was a dry- 

 land passage at one time between Australia and New 

 Guinea ; recent discoveries in the latter country hav- 

 ing revealed the presence there of animals similar to, 

 or identical with, some found in Australia. This is 

 held as proof that where Torres Straits now is, there 

 was once dry land. But against this hypothesis is 

 urged the difference between the vegetation of the two 

 islands. This, however, is accounted for by what 

 Herbert Spencer calls the circumambient medium. 

 Though people are inclined to think vegetables con- 

 siderably less sensitive than animals, sometimes they 

 are more sensitive to heat and dryness ; and Professor 

 Rolleston believes that it is the greater susceptibility 

 of the vegetation at the antipodes which accounts 

 for the disparity observable between the vegetable 

 growths of New Guinea and those of Australia. In 

 the centre of New Guinea there is a high range of 

 mountains, which attract and impart moisture to the 

 surrounding country ; while the interior of Australia 

 consists of great barren plains, which harbour no 



moisture. The plants, as they have not liad the 

 means to protect themselves available to animals, liave 

 gradually altered their form to accommodate them- 

 selves to circumstances. A curious creature, covered 

 with prickles, living on ants and other insects, and 

 improvided with means of militant operations, is 

 found on both sides of the Straits. Two kinds of 

 Echidna have also been discovered in New Guinea, 

 and corresponding with them is one in Tasmania, and 

 another in Australia. As these creatures could 

 not travel over water, there must have been land 

 communication at the period of their original dis- 

 tribution. Quite lately an Echidna has been found 

 in the south-west corner of New Guinea, and sent to- 

 Professor Rolleston by the Rev. Mr. Lawes, the dis- 

 coverer, accompanied by a letter, in which the state- 

 ment is made that this is the first ever found. For 

 this species the name Echidna Lazuesei is proposed. 

 The Cassowary has also been found on both sides 

 of Torres Straits, and the existence of the Tree 

 Kangaroo, both in Australia and New Guinea, Prof. 

 Rolleston also considered reliable. At its conclusion, 

 the paper treated of the Admiralty Island pig, in the 

 fore part of which Professor Rolleston pointed out the 

 peculiarity of a glabellum . Dr. Bennett proposed a vote 

 of thanks to Professor Rolleston, and took opportunity 

 to explain that there had been no tree-kangaroo actually 

 found in Australia, though there is little room left for 

 doubt that the species has inhabited the place, as 

 marks left on trees could only have been produced by 

 it. Dr. Sclater thought it would have been well if 

 the Professor had informed them that the Echidna, 

 together with that wonderful animal the Duckbill, 

 constituted by themselves a third class of mammals. 

 Professor Rolleston was, he thought, to be con- 

 gratulated on being the first in England to possess 

 that most interesting animal, the Echidna. Professor 

 Newton exhibited an engraving in Nature of the skull 

 of an echidna, and expressed a desire to learn something 

 by which to discrimiate between the Tachglossi of the 

 northern part of New Guinea and those of the 

 southern part. He thought they should pause before 

 accepting the fact that this echnida, just arrived, was 

 really something novel, and deserved classification as 

 a new species. Professor Rolleston, in answer to 

 the remarks of Professor Newton, said the specimen 

 had been sent to him by Mr. Ramsey, of the 

 Museum, Sydney, to be classified and named. 



LARViE OF PaPILIO MaCHAON AT BRIGHTON.— 

 About the second week in July a couple of caterpillars 

 of the Swallow-tail butterfly {Papilio Machaon) were 

 found by two little boys in a garden near the race- 

 course, and taken to Messrs. Pratt & Sons, North 

 Street Quadrant, Brighton. The larvae were feeding 

 on the carrot when taken, and continued feeding on 

 it for four days, when one turned to a chrysalis and 

 the other died. The chrysalis was of a light-brown 

 colour with black stripes, instead of the ordinary 



